


Keep You Warm

by Aiambia



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Burnt Cookies, Christmas, Fluff, M/M, Modern AU, Mutual Pining, Snowed In, Surprise Gifts, one bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 00:07:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16843168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aiambia/pseuds/Aiambia
Summary: When Ben comes by to pick up Hux for the Christmas party, they end up getting snowed in. Then the heater stops working. Then the power goes out. Also, there's only one bed.





	Keep You Warm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Chiaroscuro](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chiaroscuro/gifts).



It took him six months, three separate trips to the craft store, ten YouTube tutorials, and Mitaka to do it, but Hux finally finishes Ben’s Christmas present. At 5:58pm, fifteen minutes before the Christmas party starts, and two minutes before Ben is supposed to pick him up, Hux packs the gift away in a little red bag. He waits for another seven minutes before Ben finally knocks.

Hux greets him with a frown. “You’re late”

“Don’t worry; we’ll make it on time.” Ben says, walking into Hux’s apartment. “Do you have anything to eat? I’m kinda hungry.”

“Ben, Mitaka will have food for us when we get there.”

“But I’m hungry now.”

“You child. Yes, there are cookies on the—” Hux’s blood runs cold. He sniffs the air. It smells like something’s burning. “Shit!”

Hux bolts for the kitchen. He shuts off the oven and pulls the cookies out, but they look more like pieces of charcoal. He sighs and checks his phone. He never started the timer. “Wonderful. Absolutely perfect.”

Ben walks up beside him. “Well—” He reaches out for one of the cookies. “—they still look like cookies.”

Hux slaps his hand away. “Don’t _eat_ them.”

“Why not? You made them.”

“I _burned_ them,” Hux corrects. He checks his phone again. It’s 6:15. “Ben, we’re late.”

There’s a crunch behind him, like rocks breaking. Hux whips around. Ben has a burnt cookie in his hand and in his mouth. “Ben! What…Why?”

“…You worked so hard on them,” Ben says around a mouth-full of cookie. “Besides, they’re not that bad.”

He chews the cookie again, making that awful crunching sound. It’s touching. Really, it is, but those cookies can’t taste very good. As happy as it makes Hux that Ben is willing to eat his burnt cookies, he can’t let this go on. “Really?”

Ben nods, trying to chew the cookie once more. He lasts for another three seconds before frowning and shaking his head “no.” He runs to the sink to spit out the cookie and rinse out his mouth. Hux can’t help laughing. Still, he throws out the rest of the cookies before Ben can try to convince himself that they’re half decent.

“I would’ve eaten the rest of them,” Ben says.

“And put yourself in the E.R.? I think not. Besides, they were those cheap, pre-made tube cookies. I can make more later. Right now, we should get going,” Hux says. He walks out the door before Ben has a chance to slow them down even more.

“Slow us down? I’m quick,” Ben follows close behind him.

“We’re already late.”

“Yeah, but the party doesn’t start until I arrive.” Ben wiggles his eyebrows and Hux rolls his eyes.

They make it to the door of Hux’s apartment building, but it hardly budges when Hux pulls on it. He frowns and tries again, but still nothing.

“What? Here, let me try,” Bens says. He takes the other handle and gives it a firm tug, but even with all of his strength, the door doesn’t budge.

“That’s odd…” Hux says. Ben frowns and tries the door again. And again. And again. Hux dials Mitaka. “Hey, so I think we’ll be a bit late.”

 _“Oh, are you with Ben?”_ Mitaka asks.

“Yep.” Hux puts the phone on speaker. Ben still hasn’t made any progress on the door. “We’re stuck in the building. The front door won’t budge.”

_“So, you haven’t left yet?”_

“No, not yet. But as soon as Ben gets the door open—”

And just then he does. The door flies open, and Ben stumbles backward. Snow pours out onto the lobby floor. Beyond it, the world is covered in white. Trees, buildings, streets, cars, roads, _everything_ is covered in snow that just keeps piling higher and higher. If they walk outside in that weather, they might turn into snowmen.

_“Actually, I’m cancelling the party. The storm’s gotten pretty bad, suddenly, and I don’t want anyone driving in this weather.”_

“You don’t say?”

_“Yeah. Just stay put until the storm blows over. We can exchange gifts later.”_

“A sound plan,” Hux says. “Well, have a Happy Christmas, Mitaka.”

_“You too, Hux. Happy Christmas.”_

Mitaka hangs up, leaving Ben and Hux with their door problem. Ben pushes it closed, but it won’t close all the way. The snow practically freezes it open.

“It’s _Merry_ Christmas, not Happy Christmas,” Ben says. Hux just groans and heads back up to his apartment. “Wait—Hux! Wait for me!”

* * *

_“Aaaaaasss yyyoooouuuu wiiiiiisshhhh!!”_

_“Oh, Westley!”_

“Trash,” Hux says. He takes another piece of too-buttery popcorn. “Why do you always insist on watching this movie?”

“Because it’s good!” Ben says. “Don’t lie; you like it too.”

“I do _not_ like it. It’s cheesy and childish.”

“Princess Bride is cinematic gold.”

“I beg to differ.”

“Then keep begging.” Ben sticks out his tongue.

Hux sighs. He’ll never admit it, but the ending does get to him, just a little. He sneaks a glance at Ben on the other side of the couch. There was a time when he thought Ben would be his Westley. It was years ago, back in college. Every sign pointed to Ben asking him out, and Hux had gotten his hopes up. They even had a stay-in date, and watched the Princess Bride. Then, right after the movie finished, Ben asked if Hux though Poe would like the movie too. He asked Poe out a week later. Maybe that’s why he hates the movie so much.

“When are you going home?” Hux asks.

“Rude. Has the storm let up, yet?” Ben stands and checks the thermostat.

“No.” Hux opens the weather app on his phone. “It won’t be over until morning.”

“Then I guess I’m staying the night!” Ben gives him a bright smile. He presses a few buttons on the thermostat.

“Then you’re sleeping on the couch. Don’t touch that!” Hux stands too, letting the blanket around him fall back on the couch. A shiver runs through him as soon as he stands. It’s freezing; more so than when they first started the movie. “What does the system say?”

“I don’t know, I can’t read British.”

“Celsius, you ass.” Hux glares at the thermostat. “Holy shite, eleven degrees?!”

“English, please?”

“It’s…fifity-two? Fifty-three Fahrenheit?”

“Shit! It’s cold!” Ben presses the buttons again. “I think it’s broken.”

“What? Move over. Let me see.” Hux bumps him over and fiddles with the thermostat. Ben huddles close to him, trying to see what he’s doing. His face is inches from Hux’s, but he doesn’t bother moving. Hux tries not to let it distract him, but Ben is so close to him.

Hux sets it to twenty-seven (“About eighty,” he tells Ben), and they wait a few minutes, but the heater doesn’t turn on. Hux sighs. “The unit outside must be frozen over.”

“Ugh! Well, can we turn on the oven or something? If it works? Can we eat before it stops working?” Ben asks.

Hux wants to scold him, but he’s right. The oven would be a good way to warm the apartment, and they should eat sooner rather than later. Hux doesn’t have much food in his fridge, but it’s enough to last them a day or two. Ben scarfs down all of Hux’s leftovers, and they end up cooking a bit when Ben keeps asking for more.

“Well, what should we do now?” Ben asks. He cleans off his plate, scrubbing it until it sparkles, and even putting it back in the correct cabinet. Impressive.

“ _I’m_ going to catch up on a few emails. You’re free to do…whatever. Just don’t destory my apartment,” Hux says.

“You’re going to _work_? No, no, no. You’re on vacation! It’s Christmas eve! You can’t work through Christmas eve!” Ben protests.

“Do you have a better idea? Because I still have things due at work, and it would be to my benefit to frontload some of these assignmetns.”

“Well, we could go ahead and open some—”

Ben pauses, face going white. He looks like he’s seen a ghost. Then, without explanation, he throws on his coat and shoes, and bolts out the door.

“Ben? Ben, where are you _going_?” Hux runs out after him in his slippers. Ben runs all the way down to the lobby, and pulls the front door open again. “Ben, you can’t go out there! What are you—Ben!”

Ben jumps into the snow before Hux can stop him. Hux rushes to the door, but Ben is far enough in that Hux can’t drag him out. He’d go in after Ben, but he’s not dressed warm enough to avoid freezing to death.

His heart races, and he paces in front of the door. It’s freezing and snow is getting everywhere, but Hux is too worried about Ben to leave. What’s he supposed to do? Ben could die out there. Does he call the police? Would they even be able to get out here?

Ten, maybe fifteen agonizing minutes go by, and then Hux sees a hand. The hand moves ever closer to the door, until Hux can just reach it. Hux takes it immediately and pulls as hard as he can. Ben tumbles out of the snow, holding a box.

“Are you mad?!” Hux yells at him. He helps Ben to his feet, checking him everywhere for injuries or bruises. “What were you thinking?! You could’ve died!”

“Well, I couldn’t just let her freeze.”

“What?”

Ben shoves the box into Hux’s arms. “Merry Christmas.” Then walks up to Hux’s apartment.

“Wait—Ben!” Hux follows him up, almost slamming the door shut behind them.“Are you going to explain to me why you almost got yourself _killed_?”

Ben shakes off some of the snow, brushing it off of himself very carefully. “Well, I was just about to suggest that we exchange Christmas presents instead of you working, and then I remembered that I left your present in my car.”

“So, you almost killed yourself over—” Hux looks in the box. “—some cat food, litter, and toys?”

Hux pauses, realizing what he just listed off. “Oh Ben. You didn’t.”

Ben unzips his jacket carefully, revealing a small orange kitten. “Don’t worry, she was warm the whole time. I left a few heating pads in her cage, so she was nice an comfy…even though I forgot about her for a few hours.”

He holds her out for Hux to take, and she meows in protest. Hux has no words. He takes her with gentle hands, holding her close to his chest. She meows again, but snuggles close to him for warmth. “Ben…I…”

Ben smiles. “Yeah, well. You’ve been wanting a cat since we were in high school. I just figured I’d help you out.”

“I…Thank you, Ben. She’s beautiful.” Hux strokes the kitten, and she starts purring. She’s so small.

Ben reaches out and pets the kitten. “What are you gonna call her?”

“Millicent,” Hux answers immediately. Ben grimaces. “What?”

“That’s…nice.”

Hux rolls his eyes. “Well, you got her for _me_. I’ll call her what I want.” He holds up the kitten, pressing a kiss to her head. “And she can be ‘Millie’ for short.”

“Yeah, ‘Millie’ is definitely better. Hey Millie! You be good to Armie, now. You hear? He gets stressed easily, so you’ll have to give him lots of cuddling and purr for him all the time,” Ben says.

Hux smiles. “I’ll never get anything done if she does that.”

Ben shrugs. “You’re always so stressed. You could use a few cuddles every now and then.”

Hux’s cheeks warm. He can’t help thinking of college again. They used to be so close. Ben couldn’t go a day without holding Hux close to him, even when he was dating Poe. At some point, it changed, but Hux doesn’t know why. Sometimes he still misses it. He misses Ben.

Hux looks over towards his little Christmas tree. “I supposed I should give you your gift. It’s not nearly as exciting as this, though.”

“Ooh, gimmie!” Ben strides over to the tree, and Hux sits on the couch. He lets Millie down so she can explore. She sniffs around the couch, but meows when she walks too close to the edge, too afraid to get down.

“It’s the red bag,” Hux says.

Ben tears the tissue paper out as he sits beside Hux. His face falls when he pulls the gift out. “A scarf.”

“Yes,” Hux says. Ben’s face tells him everything. “I know it’s not great, but you’re always complaining about how cold it is.”

“…It looks just like…This is what Poe…”

Hux frowns. Clearly, he’s made a mistake. It feels like college all over again. “I’m sorry. I just… you loved that scarf to death. I thought you’d appreciate having another just like it. Albeit a different color. Um…you don’t have to keep it. I can get you something else—”

“No!” Ben shouts. He holds the scarf close to himself, like Hux might try to take it from him. “No. It’s…it’s perfect.”

“Are you sure?” Hux asks.

“Yeah. Yeah, I love it.” Ben smiles with a look in his eye that Hux can’t quite place. “Um, actually, I have another present for you, too.”

“Oh?” Hux’s heartrate skyrockets. He doesn’t want to be hopeful, but it’s hard not to hope. Somehow, these feelings always come back, even after Hux has told himself a million times that Ben doesn’t feel the same way.

“Close your eyes,” Ben says. Hux does, and then his heart beats even faster. Maybe, just maybe, this time will be different. Maybe, this time, Hux won’t have to lock his feelings away again.

Something soft settles around his neck. And then Ben tells him to open his eyes.

“Ta da!” Ben says. “It’s a scarf! I…I actually got you one too. I didn’t knit it, but it is cashmere.”

Hux’s face falls. “Oh.” He tries not to sound disappointed. “It’s…lovely.”

“You don’t like it.”

“No, I love it.”

Ben frowns. “You don’t have to lie to me Hux.”

“I’m not lying.” Hux stands, scooping Millie up into his arms. “It’s a beautiful scarf.”

“But you don’t like it.” Ben follows him.

“I do. I do like it.”

“Hux, I can tell you’re upset.”

“I’m not upset!”

“Yes, you are!”

“No, I’m—"

The lights go out. Hux and Ben both look up, startled by their sudden plunge into darkness. Millie meows.

“Perfect,” Hux says. He rummages through the box of cat things until he finds a cat bed, and takes it to his room. He deposits Millie there, and though she tries to follow him, she changes her mind when she tries to walk on the cold floors.

Hux emerges from his room with a spare pillow and blankets. “Here, you can sleep on the couch.” He shoves it all in Ben’s arms.

“Wait. Hux—”

“You know where the food is. I’ll be in my room if you need anything. Goodnight.”

“Hux. Hux, wait. Just talk to me!” Ben tries to follow him, but Hux shuts his bedroom door in Ben’s face. “It’s only ten-thirty!”

Hux clamps a hand over his mouth to keep the sobs in. Every time. The same thing happens every time, but Hux still hasn’t learned, or gotten over Ben. He wants to kick himself. It’s been years since college, years since Hux decided Ben just wasn’t worth it, but everything keeps coming back. He hasn’t dated since college or been remotely interested in a relationship. He’d just always held out hope that Ben _might_ love him, one day.

Millie meows loudly from her bed, and Hux scoops her up. He lays down in bed and lays her on his chest. Millie meows again, and starts padding around his chest, trying to find a comfortable spot. Her claws are sharp as she kneads his chest, but eventually she settles down. Hux strokes a hand down her back, and blinks back tears. At least Millie will always love him.

Hux closes his eyes and tries to sleep. He just wants this day to be over already.

* * *

The sound of a door opening wakes him. Hux bolts upright, taking his pillow as a weapon, startling both Millie and Ben.

“Whoa, whoa, calm down! It’s just me!” Ben whisper-shouts. Millie scampers under the bed.

“What are you _doing_?” Hux blinks a few times. It’s still dark. And cold. “It’s three-AM!”

“Sorry! I just—do you have any more blankets?” Ben asks. He wraps his arms around himself.

“No. Go back to sleep.” Hux lays down and rolls over.

He hears nothing, then footsteps padding out of the room. Then the footsteps get louder, and his blankets feel heavier. The bed bounces a bit, and suddenly, Ben is laying beside him.

“This is _not_ what I meant.” Hux glares at him.

“It’s cold in the living room. And I’m too big for the couch. Besides, it’ll be warmer if we pile blankets and share body heat,” Ben says.

Hux rolls over again, turning his back to Ben. “Then go to _sleep_.”

“Wait! Hux, I’m sorry,” Ben says. “I didn’t mean to…I don’t know. Whatever I did, I didn’t mean to. The scarf you made me is perfect.”

Hux sighs. “It’s fine…I really do like your scarf. It’s a good gift.”

“Oh…okay. Okay, cool. Um. Goodnight, I guess.”

“Goodnight, Ben.”

Hux can hardly breathe. He listens to Ben shift around in bed, and keeps listening to him breathe. Sleep doesn’t come so easily to him, then. How can it when Ben is right there beside him? If he just reaches behind him, Ben will be there.

He should’ve said something sooner. Back when they were in college, he should’ve said something. He might’ve had a chance then. Even now, he should say something. Ben will say he doesn’t feel the same, but at least it’s an answer, and Hux can finally get over him. Tears well in Hux’s eyes, even though he hasn’t yet said a word. He knows it won’t end well, but he doesn’t want to hear Ben say it.

“Ben?” Hux says. But there’s no reply. Ben is sound asleep. Would it be cowardly to say it when he knows Ben can’t hear him? Maybe. He says it anyway.

“I love you.”

Ben laughs. “Really? I thought it was just me.”

Hux freezes. He didn’t mean for Ben to hear that. The bed shifts, and Ben touches his shoulder. “Hux—”

Hux shrugs his hand off.

“Armie…”

“Shut up. I don’t need you to tease me about it.” Hux can’t stop the tears, then. His voice wavers, too. He wants to run, but he’s already in bed and it’s snowing outside. There’s nowhere for him to run to.

“I’m not…Armie, I’m not teasing you.”

“You’re calling me ‘Armie.’ You don’t have to lie to me.”

“I’m _not_.” Ben tugs on Hux’s shoulder, trying to turn him around.

“I love you, too, Armie.”

Hux lets out a shaky breath. His hands are shaking, but not from the cold. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not.”

“Then, I’m dreaming.”

“You’re not dreaming, either.”

Hux rolls onto his back. Ben is there above him, propped up on his elbow and smiling. He reaches out to brush Hux’s tears away. “You’re serious,” Hux says.

“I’m serious.” Ben grimaces. “I…earlier. I was gonna kiss you, instead of giving you the scarf, but…I chickened out. I thought you would be mad.”

Hux laughs. “I was mad, you oaf. I wanted you to kiss me.”

“Well, yeah. I know that, now.”

“Then, maybe you should give me my real Christmas present?”

Ben smiles. “You want a _third_ present? That’s a little greedy, Armie. Save some for everyone else.”

“And if I don’t want to?”

Ben leans down and kisses his cheek. “Then you’re lucky that I love you.”

Hux’s skin tingles as Ben says the words again, and he smiles as Ben kisses him properly. Hux wraps his arms around Ben’s neck, holding him close. When they part, Ben pulls Hux over so that he’s lying on his chest.

“You’re not telling anyone about this,” Hux says, wiping away the last of his tears.

“What, that I kissed you, or that you cried about it?”

“The crying bit.”

“Oh, I’m telling everyone about tha—ow!” Ben yelps. Hux pinches his nipple. “Whoa, whoa, take me out for dinner first.”

Hux laughs. “Arse.”

“Mmm, yes. It’s very firm, and nice to look at.” Ben reaches down and grabs Hux’s ass.

“Hey!” They both laugh, snuggled together under the blankets. It’s still cold outside, but together, they’re warm.

“How long?” Ben asks, when they’ve settled down.

“Too long,” Hux answers. He closes his eyes and holds Ben tight. He almost can’t believe it’s real, but Ben is right there. “Since college.”

“Ha. I win. I’ve liked you since high school.”

“ _What?_ ” Hux looks up at Ben. “You never…I never knew.”

“I know.” Ben rubs a hand up and down Hux’s back. “I was going to ask you to prom, then tell you at the end of the night, but…you were so focused on getting into a good college that you didn’t even go to prom. Then all of my other plans kept getting pushed back and…well, I guess I just got used to keeping my mouth shut.”

“But Poe…”

“We broke up because he could tell that I had my heart set on you. He wanted something serious, and I just…couldn’t give you up.”

Hux snuggles closer. “For the record, neither could I. I certainly tried, but I just never stopped hoping.”

“It’s a good thing you didn’t.” Ben kisses him again. “Or you might’ve ruined Christmas for me.”

Hux rolls his eyes. “Well, you’re welcome. And Happy Christmas.”

“ _Merry_ Christmas.”

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas/Hannukah/Happy Holidays!
> 
> I meant for this fic to have tons of tropes in it, but as fics do, it kind of took it's own turn when I was writing it. It's really cute, though.  
> You know, I started writing this fic as that college AU where Ben was dating Poe, but it wasn't working, so I tried Clydeland instead, then realized that I was actually writing Kylo and Hux but with the names Clyde and Stensland. So. That happened.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading, and I hope all of you (especially you, Chiaroscuro) are having a wonderful holiday season!


End file.
